Violent anti-U.S. protests continue in Pakistan

Pakistani policemen use a water cannon to disperse Shiite Muslim protesters during a rally against an anti-Islam movie in Karachi, September 16, 2012. / ASIF HASSAN/AFP/Getty Images

(AP) KARACHI, Pakistan - Hundreds of Pakistanis protesting an anti-Islam film broke through a barricade near the U.S. Consulate in the southern city of Karachi on Sunday, sparking clashes with police in which one demonstrator was killed and more than a dozen injured.

In a move that could escalate tensions around the Arab world, the leader of the Hezbollah militant group called for protests against the movie, saying protesters should not only 'express our anger' at U.S. embassies but urge leaders to act.

The film, which denigrates Islam's Prophet Muhammad, has sparked violent protests in many Muslim countries in recent days, including one in Libya in which the U.S. ambassador was killed. The U.S. has responded by deploying additional military forces to increase security in certain hotspots.

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In a televised speech, Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said the U.S. must be held accountable for the film, which was produced in the United States. The U.S. government has condemned the film.

"The ones who should be held accountable and boycotted are those who support and protect the producers, namely the U.S. administration," Nasrallah said. He called for protests on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

He urged protesters to call on their leaders to express their anger too.

"We should not only express our anger at an American embassy here or there. We should tell our rulers in the Arab and Muslim world that it is 'your responsibility in the first place' and since you officially represent the governments and states of the Muslim world you should impose on the United States, Europe and the whole world that our prophet, our Quran and our holy places and honor of our Prophet be respected," he told his followers in a televised speech.

Nasrallah said he waited to speak out about the film until Sunday, when Pope Benedict XVI ended his three-day trip to Lebanon.

In Pakistan, police fired tear gas and water cannons at the protesters in Karachi after they broke through the barricade and reached the outer wall of the U.S. Consulate, police officer Mohammad Ranjha said. The protesters threw stones and bricks, prompting the police to beat back the crowd with their batons. The police and private security guards outside the consulate also fired in the air to disperse the crowd.

One protester was killed during the clash, said Ali Ahmar, spokesman for the Shiite Muslim group that organized the rally.

An official with the main ambulance service in the city, Khurram Ahmad, confirmed they carried away one dead protester and 18 others who were injured.

All Americans who work at the consulate, which is located in the heart of Karachi, were safe, Rian Harris, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, said.

Thousands more held peaceful demonstrations against the film in other parts of the country, including the eastern city of Lahore and the northwest city of Dera Ismail Khan.

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[sjc_1]

Long standing tensions finally erupting. Look at Japan and China. It has more to do with long standing tensions than some islands. Look at Islam, it has more to do with the U.S. in the middle east than some movie.

[proeliumfessus]

I think we need many- many more critical/satirical forms of art targeting Mohamed, Allah, and the Muslim religion in general. There cant exist a religion or group of people, which instills in us fear when expressing our thoughts and opinions, if we're truly going to consider ourselves free. The Muslim religion, is just a religion; and like any other religion, it should posses the maturity to weather adverse opinions and points of view non-violently. On Real Time with Bill Maher this week, he had pictures of Muslims holding up signs in Libya saying "this does not represent Muslims, we are not savages," and others to that effect condemning the attacks on the US Consulate. I admit- we need more of that from the real Muslims- the overwhelming majority of them. I personally thank those level-headed Muslims in Libya for having the courage to make and show those signs- at least one American appreciated it.

[GeorgeHolmes]

"In a televised speech, Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said the U.S. must be held accountable for the film, which was produced in the United States."
The man thinks the state can control Free Speech, Women's dress, alcohol and drug use, artistic expression. He supposes that all nations are now put on notice that all information will be examined for content offensive to Islam. And Al Jezzera is allowed to televise beheadings of prisoners of war...we're going to make a lot of money with this guy...Westboro Baptist Church type of guy. Wait until he finds all the Russian porn sites on his iphone...funny.


In other news: Russia Times reports protests in Spain, Portugal France, and 20 countries across the Middle East and South Pacific. Riots in Moscow...not so much...funnier.

[happythunder123]

why hasn't Obama address the issue? We did not do anything to these people and now we are getting the blame for a false video. We do not need more violence.

[jschm2681]

THe media has been giving him plenty of cover blaming the rioting on the video. But protesters don't usually show up with AK47 and grenade launchers. THis was a well planned and coordinated attack as a result of 9/11 remembrance and US foreign policy. The knee jerk reaction of the Amabassador in Egypt was to issue an apology to Islam.That has to be policy on the part of the Administration. Obama also left his ambassadors unguarded. Marines in Libya? The 2 who died were not assigned to the embassy. They showed up after the rioting started. Were the Marine's in Egypt not allowed to have ammo as some Marine blog claim? Who knows. We won't get a straight answer out of the DOD because they are on cover duty for Obama.And even CNN said Egypt gave them 48 hours notice of an attack. But of course Carney lies.
And what happened to the 15,000 MANPADS in Libya after Qadffis fall. They are shoulder fired surface to air missile that can take down a jetliner. Do terrorists have them? The US was suppossed to secure them and they didn't.
The Amateur in chief is showing his incompetence and Romney was right to call him on it.

[ITSOVERNOW]

Culmination of Obama's failed "Arab Spring" & all the media could say
is Romney, Romney, Romney. The American liberal media is a running joke.

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

It would have been nice if you RINOs hadn't nominated the biggest LIB you could find...

Ron Paul understands what REAL conservatism is, and his foreign-policy reflects that.

[notreich]

Obama organized all those revolutions in all those countries? And it's failed? That sounds so true

[Repubs_R_Fiscal_Liberals]

Our attempts to bring 12th-century theocracies into 21st-century democracies just aren't going to work.

And it's foolish to even think it they would. Clear out and let them all kill each other, including Israel.

[GeorgeHolmes]

7th Century see Mohammad c 620CE ish, WE need Israel as a protected landing Zone. They are very important to us and we to them.

[reedkickball]

300+ workers (possibly children) die in two separate garment factory fires in Pakistan's major cities on Sept. 11th. And they're protesting against an obscure movie that no one watched (until they protested).

Not sure, but I think there's a failure on the list of priorities in this culture.

[h&k123]

They have no concept of independent thought like we and our allies do. These clowns that try to turn this into Republican vs Democrat have missed the point...you can't negotiate with these people. Talk to real life people who live in Europe (not the politicians or the press) and hear about how the muslims are taking over. Very Scary!

[h&k123]

It's time to shutdown the Embassies, and tell American citizens to leave. Then tell the Pakistanis, Libyans et al that we are cutting off all aid and they can do whatever the hell they want. But the second they get any ideas of attacking us we going drop hell onto their heads.

[Vegitius]

Could the Obama Administration just realize that Afghanistan and Pakistan are not our allies, that the Muslim populations there hate us, and that we would be much better off just cutting our losses---and our billions in foreign aid---and bringing our troops home? Timing is everything.